Why more Korean men are buying and using cosmetics

There was a time when bulking up and being
a little neanderthal was all the rage for men. Times are a changing. These days more men, especially in Korea,
allocate a greater amount of time and energy staying stylish… be it fashion or cosmetics. For our newsfeatures tonight, Kim Hyesung
zooms in on the trend that goes against conventional ideas of masculinity. Filling in eyebrows, applying foundation and
concealers, then contouring the nose and jawline for a sharper look. It’s male beauty creator Kim Ki-soo’s makeup
tutorial, with close to 120-thousand subscribers. Kim says when he first launched the video
last November, almost 100 percent of his followers were women. But now, more than 30 percent are men. (Korean)
“Many male followers message me, asking which products I use and how to apply them. For instance, questions like how can I not
make the foundation look too thick, how to shape eyebrows. All these reactions, unimaginable just several
years back, show how there are quite a lot of Korean men who are interested in putting
on makeup.” While not going as far as wearing full makeup,…
putting on basic makeup like bb cream and concealer is becoming more common for men
in Korea. 27-year-old Lim Tae-hyun is one of them. He says applying makeup is a must before heading
out. (Korean)
“I put on makeup to look sharper, cover my blemishes and thicken my eyebrows. It boosts my confidence. And in fact, people don’t even realize that
I’m wearing makeup because it looks natural, so I like it.” According to a survey by research firm Interfashion
Planning,… out of the Korean men who bought cosmetics at drug stores last year,… 39%
wear make up for confidence, and 32 percent do it to have a competitive edge, meaning
more than 70 percent wear makeup for a better appearance. In fact, Korean men are the world’s top per-capita
consumers of cosmetic products. With nearly four times the purchases of runner-up
Denmark, Koreans make up a fifth of worldwide sales. (standup)
“As demand for male grooming products continues to grow in Korea, cosmetic brands are further
diversifying their product line-up, coming up with men-only cosmetics, ranging from toners
and moisturizer to eyecream.” But the long list of cosmetics on offer could
be somewhat foreign for men… creating a demand for so-called “male beauty directors.” (Korean)
“Men are interested in looking good. It’s not a desire limited to women. But men could still feel uncomfortable or
somewhat shy asking women how to use items X, Y and Z. So male-to-male, we provide them with consulting,
look at their skin type, recommend items to them, and tell them the step-by-step process.” (Korean)
“I think the culture is changing. Male products used to be mainly skin care
products, but now the spectrum of items is widening to BB cream, facial masks and lip
gloss.” With both demand and supply in the male grooming
industry growing, the market is set for double-digit growth every year, and could be worth 1.5
billion U.S. dollars by 2020. This rapid growth comes not only because more
Korean men want to look clean-cut, but also because of society’s changing perceptions. (Korean)
“I think it’s fine for men to invest money and time to take care of the way they look,
as long as it looks natural.” (Korean)
“Times have changed, appearance is an asset. I put on skincare and eyecream myself. Wearing makeup to look more attractive, I
think that’s fine, it’s an individual’s choice.” (Korean)
“The traditional, clear gender roles are changing in Korea and more young people these days
want individualism and freedom. So society is more accepting of men putting
on makeup. At the same time, it reflects how competitive
the job market is, with men pressured to look fit and clean-cut, on top of having a good
education and interpersonal skills, to get a good job these days.” Self-satisfaction, the cosmetic industry’s
market strategies, fierce competition…, for various reasons, a growing number of Korean
men are wearing make up, and this trend is likely to continue as social perceptions of
male grooming evolve. Kim Hyesung, Arirang News.

7 Comments

East Asians are amongst the most insecure branch of humans in this world. When I see an Asian man wearing makeup and whitening his skin, I see someone preoccupied with his looks and is invested in telling you he's insecure with his natural appearance. He'll spend hundreds, if not thousands of dollars to get that point across to you. It's not even attractive. It's looks plain weird, unnatural, plastic, and "prepared". This isn't "male beauty"; it's femininity superimposed on a male-ish form. You know what's attractive? Natural, relaxed confidence, simplicity, accepting yourself, and loving yourself as you are.

(As a side note, Asian men should consider drastically reducing their consumption of soy products or eliminating its consumption altogether. Soy lowers your testosterone as drastically as the makeup in this video).